CSOs Insist Politicians Must Sign Up To Environmental Demands!

Following the signing of a Peace Pact by the political parties, environmentalists are renewing their call
on all political parties contesting in this year's general election to sign up to the Environmental
Demands, affirming support for reclaiming and restoring water bodies, farmlands, forests, and
upholding the Polluter Pays Principle.
Before trade and professional bodies, such as Organised Labour and the Ghana Medical Association,
brought the canker of illegal mining to a head in early September, environmental CSOs such as A Rocha
Ghana and Eco-Conscious Citizens had produced manifestos to sensitise politicians and political parties
to key environmental points they needed to address.
This was contained in a press statement dated November 29 2024.
In light of the demands made by Organised Labour, four critical points supported by Eco-Conscious
Citizens, A Rocha Ghana, Ghana Environmental Advocacy Group, GH Environment, S/Atronsu Youths &
Farmers Against Community/Small Scale Mining, Jema Anti-Galamsey Advocates, Concerned Citizens Of
Atewa Landscape, Ghana Youth Environmental Movement, Youth Alliance for Green Ghana, Tropenbos
Ghana, Young Reporters for the Environment and Friends Of the Earth Ghana, were crystallised into the
Environmental Demands to mark World Rivers Day on Sepember 22.
It's been noted that the political parties have generally been either avoiding or prevaricating when it
comes to speaking unequivocally about dealing with illegal mining, believing it to be a vote-losing issue.
We believe that if all parties sign up to the Environmental Demands ahead of the general election, it will
not put any one party at a disadvantage.
The Environmental Demands are:
1. Declare a state of emergency in line with section 31 and 31 (4) of the 1992 constitution in order to
fight the environmental terrorists. Deploy the Police and Military to remove all miners and mining
equipment from our water bodies, forest reserves and farmlands.
2. Repeal L.I. 2462 and ensure that there is no mining or logging in forest reserves or globally significant
biodiversity areas.
3. Repeal E.I.144 which declassifies parts of Achimota Forest, the lungs of Accra.
4. Pause Small scale/Community Mining and stop issuing licences.
5. Cause environmental terrorists and all persons named in Prof. Frimpong Boateng's report to be
investigated.